By Paul Norman

Published: Thursday, 19 May 2022 at 12:00 am

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The new Orbea Kemen is an electric bike designed to provide everything you need for city riding, with a focus on urban practicality and the addition of an ‘SUV’ spec to take you onto rougher terrain.

The Kemen is available as either a step-through frame in sizes S to L or a crossbar frame in sizes S to XL.

Both frames are made of triple-butted aluminium with smoothed welds, which Orbea says gives them a carbon-like appearance and, along with the integrated battery, leads to a more robust, lighter frame. Orbea backs this up with a lifetime guarantee on the frame. 

City or off-road specs

The standard Kemen is designed as an electric hybrid bike for riding on roads and light off-road terrain, with 2.25in tyres, mudguards, a kickstand, a rack rated for loads up to 18kg and a built-in trailer hitch.

It’s a practical design likely to appeal as a pedal-assisted commuting bike, but Orbea is also offering the Kemen SUV.

Orbea

This is a beefed-up build featuring wider 2.35in tyres with a more aggressive tread and a stronger rack that’s rated for loads of up to 27kg, enabling you to mount a child seat or loads of luggage.

Both the Kemen and Kemen SUV have integrated StVZO-compliant lighting. The rear light has a built-in accelerometer and shines more brightly under deceleration, acting as a brake warning light.

250-watt, 85Nm Shimano motor

Orbea

The Kemen and Kemen SUV are powered by a Shimano Steps EP8 motor with 85Nm of torque. There’s a 540Wh high-energy density battery that’s proprietary to Orbea, fully integrated into the frame. Orbea says it will give you more than five hours of ride time, although, as with any ebike, that’s dependent on how and where you ride it.

Orbea says that its smart charger will fully recharge the battery in four hours and is designed to extend the battery’s lifespan by up to 30 per cent. You can buy an optional 252Wh range extender battery to add extra capacity.

Orbea

Other neat features include fully integrated cabling for the motor controls and display through the bars and stem and into the frameset.

The rear brake hose and shifter cables run externally at the bars, then internally from the stem, lowering the risk of damage or contamination, according to Orbea, and reducing frame clutter.

Orbea Kemen specs, pricing and availability

Orbea

Orbea uses the latest Shimano Linkglide drivetrain on the Kemen. Designed specifically for electric bikes, this beefs up the chain and sprockets to handle the extra torque from the mid-mounted motor. It’s said to increase durability, while also providing smoother shifting under load.

There are four Kemen models available at launch. The Kemen 10 is the top city-riding spec with a 100mm-travel Fox 34 Float AWL fork and 11-speed Shimano XT Linkglide drivetrain, along with 2.5in Schwalbe tyres and a 100mm-travel dropper post. 

The Kemen 30 has a Marzocchi Bomber Z2 100mm-travel fork and 10-speed Shimano Deore Linkglide gearing, but omits the dropper post.

Orbea

Head to the SUV specs and the Kemen 10 SUV and Kemen 30 SUV follow the standard Kemen 10 and Kemen 30 specs, but get wider wheel rims and 2.35in tyres.

The Kemen is available to reserve or buy immediately.

Orbea Kemen 10

• Frame: Kemen top bar/mid bar hydroformed alloy
• Fork: Fox 34 Float AWL 100 Rail, 100mm travel
• Motor: Shimano EP8, 250W, 85Nm
• Battery: Orbea 540Wh internal, optional 252Wh range extender
• Gearing: Shimano XT M8130 Linkglide, 11-50t 11-speed
• Brakes: Magura MT5 E-Stop hydraulic disc
• Wheels: Orbea OC1 25c tubeless-ready
• Tyres: Schwalbe G-One Allround 2.25in
• Seatpost: OC MC20 dropper post, 100mm travel
• Saddle: Selle Royal Vivo
• Available sizes: S, M, L (XL with crossbar only)
• Colours: Urban Green, Dark Red, Night Black
• Price £4,299 / $5,499 / €4,799

Orbea Kemen 30

• Frame: Kemen top bar/mid bar hydroformed alloy
• Fork: Marzocchi Bomber Z2, 100mm travel
• Motor: Shimano EP8, 250W, 85Nm
• Battery: Orbea 540Wh internal, optional 252Wh range extender
• Gearing: Shimano Deore M5130 Linkglide, 11-43t, 10-speed
• Brakes: Magura MT30 hydraulic disc
• Wheels: Orbea OC1 25c tubeless-ready
• Tyres: Schwalbe G-One Allround 2.25in
• Seatpost: Orbea alloy
• Saddle: Selle Royal Vivo
• Available sizes: S, M, L (XL with crossbar only)
• Colours: Urban Green, Dark Red, Night Black
• Price: £3,599 / $4,599 / €3,999

Orbea Kemen SUV 10

• Frame: Kemen top bar/mid bar hydroformed alloy
• Fork: Fox 34 Float AWL 100 Rail, 100mm travel
• Motor: Shimano EP8, 250W, 85Nm
• Battery: Orbea 540Wh internal, optional 252Wh range extender
• Gearing: Shimano XT M8130 Linkglide, 11-50t 11-speed
• Brakes: Magura MT5 E-Stop hydraulic disc
• Wheels: Race Face AR 30c tubeless-ready
• Tyres: Schwalbe Johnny Watts 2.35in
• Seatpost: OC MC20 dropper post, 100mm travel
• Saddle: Selle Royal Vivo
• Available sizes: S, M, L (XL with crossbar only)
• Colours: Urban Green, Dark Red, Night Black
• Price: £4,299 / $5,499 / €4,799

Orbea Kemen SUV 30

• Frame Kemen top bar/mid bar hydroformed alloy
• Fork Marzocchi Bomber Z2, 100mm travel
• Motor Shimano EP8, 250W, 85Nm
• Battery Orbea 540Wh internal, optional 252Wh range extender
• Gearing Shimano Deore M5130 Linkglide, 11-43t, 10-speed
• Brakes Magura MT30 hydraulic disc
• Wheels Orbea OC1 29c tubeless-ready
• Tyres Schwalbe Johnny Watts 2.35in
• Seatpost Orbea alloy
• Saddle Selle Royal Vivo
• Available sizes S, M, L (XL with crossbar only)
• Colours Urban Green, Dark Red, Night Black
• Price £3,599 / $4,599 / €3,999

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